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Welding black pipe (recently salvaged gas pipe)

12-12-2013, 10:39 AM

This is a request for information and safety concerns around welding salvaged black pipe from a residential renovation. It was being used to pipe natural gas from the city meter through a basement to various fixtures.

I have an old but good AIRCO transformer welder with plenty of amps and was thinking 6010, 6011 rods.

My idea is to cut the gas pipe into 15" lengths and weld them as rungs between 3"x2" angle to form a set of ramps that will get my car up a 16" incline needed to get it inside my shop.

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So basically you are building a set of trailer ramps but with a center support. If you already have the angle then use it with the 3" leg vertical. 3/4" pipe, probably sch 40, should work with the cars you mention but it really will not be that strong. If you have the pipe & it's free try it. The worst is it will bend slightly. I don't see it failing completely to cause damage. If I had to buy material I would not use pipe for this.

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Need to work on my 95 Toyota Corolla and 95 2-wheel drive tacoma: both light weight.

Plan for ramps would be approx 7' in length running from ground level to 16" in height to get in the door -

Thanks again.

If this is what I needed for these vehicles, I would build a ramp of compacted sand, and pour about a 3" thick slab of concrete over it to keep it there. No problems, no worries, and it's always there waiting for you when you need it. Save the black pipe for some other little project or maybe use some of it as rebar in the slab.

Comment

If this is what I needed for these vehicles, I would build a ramp of compacted sand, and pour about a 3" thick slab of concrete over it to keep it there. No problems, no worries, and it's always there waiting for you when you need it. Save the black pipe for some other little project or maybe use some of it as rebar in the slab.[/LIST]

I wanted a thumb for my backhoe. I reworked a grapple from a log truck. Days later, I had a working thumb. Looks funny, works OK soon I will build one from scratch, and throw this mess away. When people try to make do with free material, the project never quite measures up. Grit your teeth, do it right. Years from now you will be proud, instead of making excuses why it doesn't quite work.

Comment

I wanted a thumb for my backhoe. I reworked a grapple from a log truck. Days later, I had a working thumb. Looks funny, works OK soon I will build one from scratch, and throw this mess away. When people try to make do with free material, the project never quite measures up. Grit your teeth, do it right. Years from now you will be proud, instead of making excuses why it doesn't quite work.

Thanks. When you say "do it right," if you have the time to tell, what would that actually look like?

Comment

If this is what I needed for these vehicles, I would build a ramp of compacted sand, and pour about a 3" thick slab of concrete over it to keep it there. No problems, no worries, and it's always there waiting for you when you need it. Save the black pipe for some other little project or maybe use some of it as rebar in the slab.[/LIST]

Thanks...currently not in a position to construct a permanent fixture.

Comment

Thanks. When you say "do it right," if you have the time to tell, what would that actually look like?

I think since he quoted me on that post, I would say he is probably in agreement with what I said. Why is it you are not able to make a permanent ramp at this time? Is it because you are renting the place? Sand and enough Quikrete to do this is not very expensive. Some landlords may be accepting of an upgrade to their property like this if you ask them, knowing it will be left there if you move out.

Comment

There are always options but if I can come up with a project that requires welding, I kind of lean towards that. Of course you want it to work out in the end and sometimes ask a few questions, afterword's, I would be out there cutting pipe.

There are always options but if I can come up with a project that requires welding, I kind of lean towards that. Of course you want it to work out in the end and sometimes ask a few questions, afterword's, I would be out there cutting pipe.

You got it H40...have metal-have a project-would like it to be welding.

Thanks to everyone for the input but one thing no one has weighed in about is the last question on my second post.

Can anyone tell me whether or not a long-used gas pipe, having contained flammable material over several decades, qualifies as a "flammable container" and is therefore risky to weld?

I'm a rookie welder and know what I know and nothing else. I guess I'll risk asking a dumb question one more time rather than make it a trial and error on this one.